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Monday, November 21, 2016

Senegalese trek to Muslim Holy City of Touba in honor of Cheikh Amadou Bamba. For some, Touba is more sacred than Mecca!

Magal in Touba: Senegalese trek to Muslim festival

21 November 2016

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims descended on Senegal's holy city of Touba for the annual Magal festival over the weekend.

The
Magal is a holy day for the Mouride sect, which overwhelmingly
practises a moderate Sufi version of Islam, emphasising the power of
hard work. It is marked by travel over long distances, feasting and
expressions of brotherly love.

The Baye Fall - a sub-sect of the Mourides - are
known for their patchwork clothes and dreadlocks. Some also drink
alcohol and smoke marijuana, and don't fast during Ramadan, unlike most
Muslims. Nigguh Muslims! lol

The Mouride sect was founded by Cheikh
Ahmadou Bamba, a religious leader in Senegal during the time of French
colonisation. It is now one of the country's biggest and most
influential. These disciples prepare lunch for some of the pilgrims
attending the annual Magal.

Ahmadou Bamba was buried in the city of Touba, where
a huge mosque has been built. Many of his descendents have become local
spiritual guides, or marabouts. Each Mouride will pledge allegiance to
one such guide.

Ahmadou Bamba founded Touba city in 1887 and it is
now said to be the second biggest in Senegal, with an official
population of about 1.5 million people, reportedly doubling in size
during the Magal. Feeding such huge crowds is a major undertaking and
hundreds of cows were slaughtered.
Many of the Senegalese living and working abroad are
Mourides and people travelled to Touba from New York, Paris and Rome,
as well as the capital, Dakar, 200km (125 miles) west of the holy city.

Pilgrims show remarkable dedication to make it to
Touba. Reports say at least 16 people were killed in road accidents
while heading to the celebrations.

People filled up every space available in public
transport vehicles to make it to the weekend-long festivities, which
have been declared a national holiday.

Feeding such huge crowds is a major undertaking and
hundreds of cows were slaughtered.

For some, camel meat is also considered a delicacy.

Apart from cooking, the Baye Fall also act as security guards during the annual pilgrimage.

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